10/18/09
Good autumn birding -
Categories: Week 42 - 17 October 2009, Al Abraq and Jahra Pools
Normally we spread ourselves over the various locations when we are out birding, so that we can alert each other if any good birds are seen. Today however, Pekka Fagel, Brian Foster, Rick Saval, Andy and Nicola Hulett and I all congregated at Al Abraq in the west for a good mornings birding. Images by Mike Pope
Birding is generally slow at 7am at the oasis farm, but with patience we started finding birds - this White breasted Kingfisher looked stunning in the early morning light.
A magnificent male Golden Oriole was sunning itself on the top of a tree
Whilst soaking up the Oriole, we heard the familiar "Tuk, Tuk" call of a warbler in a nearby tree. It took some time to get onto, but were eventually rewarded with in your face views of a Cetti's Warbler. It is told apart from Savi's Warbler by - the dark rufous upperparts, short primary projection, the lack of any streaking on throat and undertail covetts and pale eyering
There were still a good number of Red breasted Flycatchers present, all in their new winter plumage
A little later in the morning, Brian found a male Red breasted Flycatcher still resplendent in its full breeding regalia - a very different looking bird to those in winter plumage
As it warmed up, the few raptors present were seen flying and soaring around the farm, I managed to catch this female Sparrowhawk with an engorged crop as she zipped overhead. Shikra was also present, but too fleeting for a photograph
Earlier, Pekka and Brian had found a good Mountain Chiffchaff. I explored the same area a little later with Brian where we found the bird with a regular Chiffchaff, unfortunately I was only able to photograph the Chiffchaff
A lone Tree Pipit was seen as we were heading back to the car
Painted Ladies can be seen all over Kuwait and is the common butterfly together with Clouded Yellows
We then made the trek to Jahra Pools, to make the most of the morning. Water levels are still good and there are still good numbers of waders and waterbirds present. Blue cheeked Bee-eaters were seen hawking around the pans
An Isabelline Shrike making use of the same perch after the Bee-eater had gone on a hunting foray
I only found 2 Red necked Phalaropes today
A lone female Shoveller
and one in flight
with a White tailed Plover on a nearby bank
The Garganeys seen the previous visit had now been replaced by sizeable flocks of Pintail
There were still good numbers of smaller waders present, I watched some interaction between a Broad billed Sandpiper and a Dunlin
An unusually buffy Dunlin
One Little Ringed Plover with its distinctive eye ring amongst the Dunlin and Stints
This juvenile Little Stint had a really distinctive white supercillium
I moved closer to the sheltered part of the pan that has a lot of reed cover, the maruading Marsh Harrier hadnt yet had breakfast and sent the birds scurrying for cover evertime it swooped low over the water - a juvenile Moorhen having to get airborne
Today I counted 4 Purple Gallinules which is really encouraging
The 3 Little Grebes are still present
All the Little Crakes have departed, bar one that I saw - but I did find 2 skulking Spotted Crakes inside the reeds
